Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-16
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EyH.NDER HAGGARD.
9aRaroI 'NRs soloroEsMges 5ksEts.
tCoNTINUED.)
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

John, who still kept his head being a rather
phlegmatic specimen of the Anglo Saxon
race, realized that, for the moment at any
rate, all danger from that source was ended
jess lay perfectly still in his arms, her head
upon his breast; and horrible idea struck
him that she might be shot-perhaps already
dead!
aJess, jess" he shouted, through the tur
MOL of the storm, "are you all rightl7
She lifted her head an inch or two-ai
think So" she said what is going ong7
Sod only knows, don't Sit still, it will
be all square,
But in his heart he knew that it was not
all square. and that they were III imminent
danger of death from drowning They were
whirling down a raging river in n cart. In a
few moments it was probable that the cart
would upset and then
Presently the wheel bumped against some
thing, and the cart gave a great lnrch and
then scraped along little
Now for it, thought John: for the water
was pouring over the flooring Then came a
check, and the cart leaned still farther oyer
Crack, The pole had gone, and the cart
swung round bows, or rather box, on to the
stream What had happened was this: They
from the bed Of the river, the force of the
current having washed the dead horses to the
one side and the cart TO the other. Conse.
quently they were anchored to the rock. as it
We're, the anchor being the dead horses and
the cable the stout traces of Unframed leather
So long as these traces and the rest of the
harness held they were, comparatively speak
ing, safe; but of course they did not know
this Indeed, they knew nothing. Above
them rolled the storm, and round them the
waters seetbed and the rain Kissed They
knew nothing except that they were helpless
living atoms, tossing between the wild waters
and the wilder night, with imminent death
staring them in the face, around, above and
below. To and fro they swung. locked fast
in each others arms, and as they did 50 came
that awful fash that though they knew it
not, sent two of the murderers TO their
account, and for an instant, even through the
sheet of rain, illumined the space of boiling
water and the long lines OF the banks on
either side. 1t showed the point of rock to
which they were fixed, it glared upon the
head of one of the poor horses, tossed up by
the driving current, as though it were trying
to rise from its watery death, and revealed
the form of the dead Zulu, Mouti, living on
his face, one arm hanging over the edge OF
the cart and dabbling in the water that ran
level with 1t, in ghastly similarity to some
idle passenger in pleasure boat who lets his
fingers slip softly through the stream.
In a second it was gone. and they were
once more in darkness But then by degrees
the storm passed off and the moon began to
shine, feebly indeed, for the sky was not
clear washed of clouds, which still trailed
along in the tracks Of the tempest, sucked
after it by its mighty draught. Still it was
lighter. and the rain gradually thinned till at
last it stopped The storm had passed in
majesty down the ways of the night, and
there was no sound round them but the sound
of rushing water.
john said jess, presently, "can we 90
anythingl'
Nothing dear'1
"Shall we escape, John;'
He hesitated. at is in Gods hands, dear
We are in great danger If the cart upsets
we shall be drowned Can you swim"
"No, John"
"If we can hang on here till daylight we
may get ashore if those devils are not there
to shoot US do not think that our chance
is good one"
John, are you afraid to die"
He hesitated- Il don't know, dear
hope to meet it like man
Tell me what You truly think Is there
any hope for us at all7n
Once more he paused, rejecting whether or
not he should speak the truth. Finally he de
cided TO do so
Il can see none, jess. If We are not
tg. Ia hot TbuE- y.-fIl
wait about the bank till morning, and foI
their own sakes they will not dare to let us
live"
He did not know that all that was left OF
two of them would indeed wait for many q
long year. and that the third had fed
aghast
jess, dear" he went on, lit Is no good tt
tell lies. Our lives may end any minute
Humanity speaking, they must end before the
sun is up"
The words were awful enough--if the
reader can by an effort of the Imagination
throw himself for a moment into the position
of these two, he will, perhaps, understand
how awful 1t is dreadful thing, when il
the full flow of health and youth, to be sud
denly placed face to face with the certainty
of violent death and to know that in few
more minutes your course will have beer
run. and that You will have commenced tt
explore the future which may prove to bt
even worse because more enduring, than the
life you are now quitting i'll agony. 1t Is s
dreadful thing, as any who have ever stoOC
in such peril can testify. and John felt hi
heart sink within him at the thought--fol
death is very strong But there Is one thing
rtr &
this death cannot prevail And so it came u
pass that now, us he fixed his cold gaze upor
jess eyes, they answered him with a strange
unearthlv light. She feared not death 3
that she might meet with her beloved
Death was her hope and opportunity Her
she had none: there she might have all-ol
sleep. The letters had fallen from her
struck of by an Ogermasterins hand Hel
duty was satisfied. her trust was fulfilled alC
she was free-free to died with her beloved
All, her love was, indeed, love deeper thai
the grave; aud now it rose III all its strength
standing tiptoe upon the earth, ready, whei
dissolution had lent its wings, to soar toloye'
own staI.
"You are sure, john" she asked again.
Eyes, dear, yes Why do YOU force Inc Il
repeat It, can see no hope"
Her arms were round his neck, her sOf
curls rested on his cheek, and the breath from
her lips played upon his face. Indeed, it wa
only by speaking into each others ears tina
conversation was feasible, owing to the rush
ing sound of the waters.
Because have something to tell you whicl
l cannot tell unless we are going to die. Yol
know it, but | want to say it with my Owl
lips before die ] love you, John; / low
you, l love you; and l am glad to die becaus
I can die with you and go away with you"
n.y. ~, MTAk
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